[Chapter 2] – The Summoning
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Aiden took out his heavy-duty phone and checked the time. "Whoa! It's almost ten o'clock!"

He raced to his second sister's room and banged the door impatiently.

Rebecca opened it a moment later. She was wearing a scarlet dress with a frilly design that hearkened back to the Victorian period. Her golden hair flowed down to her shoulders, and coupled with her white tiara, she looked like a princess from a picture-book fairy tale.

"What brings you here?" she asked.

Aiden couldn't hide his irritation. "You need to go to school."

She stamped her foot in response. "There's no need for school!"

Aiden pushed past her door. "Why don't we discuss this over tea?"

Reluctantly, Rebecca seated herself at a small round table. A porcelain tea set was already laid out, although her only company was a large stuffed bear that sat opposite her. She set the toy aside, among a row of other pretty dolls and animal figurines.

Aiden took a seat awkwardly, his knees rose above the low-lying table and the wooden chair he squeezed himself into was more suited for a child half his size. Rebecca poured him some ginger tea which he devoured hungrily, while lamenting the fact that he hadn't eaten a decent meal in close to a week.

"There really is no need for school," she reiterated, while sipping daintily on her tiny cup. "I'd prefer to stay at home and teach myself. I hear that homeschooling is quite popular these days."

Aiden wolfed down the assorted biscuits and cupcakes that Rebecca had prepared. "Um... yum... and where did you hear that?"

"TV," she said with confidence, "in an infomercial."

Unbidden, the image of his rotund father bubbled up to the fore of his mind. "I think home school is a bad idea. You'll be exposed to a negative influence if you stay here."

Rebecca wore a confused expression. "Whatever do you mean? Father said he'd help teach me if I didn't feel like going to school."

"Exactly." He wiped the crumbs from the corners of his lips and put on a serious look. "Other than me, you're the only one in this household with a lick of sense. If you stay at home and learn from Dad, you'll lose all common sense and maybe even drop a few IQ points."

"Fine," she conceded, "will you at least take me to school everyday?"

Aiden laughed. It was fairly obvious what her real aim was. "You know I can't. I'm going to Aurora High. The tuition is free, so there's no way I'll let this opportunity go. Mom is a third class healer and Dad works at a perfumer company, but all he really does is sniff armpits. So, even if they saved every last penny, they still wouldn't be able to afford to pay for college for all of us. But If I can get into an uppity school like Aurora High and graduate with good marks, then I can get a scholarship to a prestigious college. From there I can figure out a way to raise enough money to help you and Alana pursue your dreams."

Rebecca blushed. "Y-you really think of us all the time, don't you brother?"

"I have to! Dad believes everything will work itself out and Mom is too busy fawning after his every whim."

Aiden stopped himself. He realized that his words might unnecessarily burden his younger sister, so he quickly changed the topic. "Y-you don't have to concern yourself with those things. So anyway, why don't you want to go to school?"

Rebecca pursed her lips and lowered her head in dismay. "Everyone hates me. But... if you tell me to go to school, I will. At least that way you'll be happy?"

Aiden struggled to hide the anger in his words. "No one hates you Becca. It's just that stupid church that's been bugging you. Don't worry, I'll deal with them soon enough."

Rebecca's lips trembled. "W-what are you going to do to them brother?"

He punched the air with gusto. "I'll sue those morons! Because this is harassment! These guys are definitely loaded and we'll make a killing when we drag'em through court and milk them dry! I just need to save up enough of my allowance to hire a lawyer."

Rebecca covered her mouth as she laughed. "I'm sure you'll take good care of us brother."

She handed him a napkin which he used to wipe the crumbs and spittle on his face. Then, with some hesitation, he went on to say, "In spite of what I said earlier, we still need to be careful. Let me talk to one of your shadows."

Rebecca threw her hands into the air and pleaded, "B-but you know my shadows scare people!"

"It doesn't matter. I need to ensure your safety when I'm not around."

Rebecca folded her arms and puffed her cheeks. The staring match that ensued between brother and sister went on for two whole minutes. Finally, she relented, and flexed her forefinger.

In the area where she pointed, a black mist swirled into being, forming a hole in the pink carpet beneath their feet. As it expanded, a bevy of haunted voices rose from its depths. They were mostly dispassionate cries for help punctuated by pained screams and angry yelps.

The mist thickened into a dark soup. A clawed hand appeared, followed by a pitch-black face, shriveled unto death. On its head was a crown of thorns that pierced its mottled flesh, but instead of blood, white puss oozed from its wounds.

When it rose to a height of nearly three meters, the darkness melted off the emaciated figure's skin, forming a blood-red cape. As it opened its eyes, a blue flame was made visible, mirrored in each pupil. Other than that, it wore no clothes and appeared to be a ghoul whose rotting body had festered into an ashy texture. This otherworldly creature turned to address Aidan and seemed to be on the verge of speaking. But then it trembled for a moment and got down on one knee. Its deep base rumbled forth, like a dormant volcano.

"Master... your servant is called Abadon. The Moribund Council has given me the honor of being your vangaurd-"

"Why!?" Rebecca pounded the table, cracking its wooden frame and inadvertently smashing the tea set into pieces. "I'm the one that summoned you! Why don't you recognize me as your master!?"

Abadon glanced at Rebecca and then resumed his submissive posture. "You may have summoned me... but I will not serve the likes of you..."

"Heh? What's that supposed to mean!?" Rebecca stuck out her tongue and wagged it at Abadon.

Aidan had just recovered from his shock, and hastily interceded. "Uh... um... you're new right? What happened to Mammon and Belfagor?"

Abadon tried to rise to his full height but was forced to stoop under the ceiling. "They are in the midst of... preparations."

Aidan let his curiosity get the best of him. "What exactly are the preparations for?"

"War!" Abadon bellowed. "I have always been ready to stand at your side, for I have arisen from the bowels of Naraka to do my Master's bidding! Though my forces may be meager, together with the other Demon Lords, we shall purge this world of any that dare to oppose your rule-"

"Yeah, whatever." Aidan sighed. "Just escort Becca to school and back from now on. There are some noisy people that stalk her whenever she leaves the house. I want you to keep them in check and make sure nothing bad happens to her, and no matter what the Nilotic Church does, don't fight back."

He paused for a moment of thought and then tilted his head to stare directly into the balls of fire that were Abadon's eyes. "Swear to me, that you won't kill or hurt anyone."

Abadon bowed at the waist, dripping pus onto the table. "This I swear, no harm shall come to this damsel, nor will I raise my hand against her pursuers."

"I'm not some silly damsel! I'm your master!" Rebecca kicked Abadon in the shin and then promptly fell over and clutched her foot. "Owwie! I stubbed my toe... b-brother, I think I'll have to stay home and recover."

Although he often pondered why Rebecca's shadows responded to his orders, he invariably drifted towards the conclusion that their subservient nature was an outward manifestation of his sister's beliefs. Since she believes that he's powerful, it's only natural that her summoned minions would share the same views.

Aidan smirked. "Nice try Becca." He leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. "It's only ten-thirty, if you leave now you can still make it for second period. I need to prepare for my interview so I can't take you this time."

He left her room to visit his own.

Aidan climbed down two sets of stairs to get to the basement. When he arrived, he shook his head despondently at the fresh scorch marks on the walls and the charred remains of his reclining sofa.

"If you're so afraid of spiders Alana," he asked himself, "why do you keep coming down here to clean my room?"

His TV had a bone-pommeled dagger shoved into the screen, shattering the glass. "Becca... how many times do I have to tell you not to watch those old-horror flicks?"

His eyes settled on the double-sized bed that lay in the center of his room. It had all the screws in its metallic frame removed, leaving nothing between his mattress and the cold, hard floor. "Hmm... I guess that's my fault. I should have welded it together before Ivy figured out how to detach screws."

He fished a buttoned-up shirt and a pair of slacks from a closet tucked into a corner. After changing into his interview clothes, he took out a phone and dialed the number his Dad gave him.

It rang twice before his call was answered. "You've reached Faster-Than-Light Transport Services. Ben Capala speaking. How can I help you?"

"Huh!? I-I mean, hello sir. My Dad, Angus Callan gave me your number. I was hoping you'd give me directions to the place where Aurora High does their interviews."

"Oh yeah! The son of Mr. Vaccine! Your interview was around twelve, right? Don't sweat it, I'll come pick you up now."

"I appreciate the offer sir, but how long will-"

The door bell rang.

"Mm, hold on sir, I need to answer the door-"

"That's me. Hope you're ready."

Startled, Aidan nearly dropped his phone as he ran up the stairs. When he opened the front door, he was met with an audacious smile by a dapper, middle-aged man in a black tuxedo. His green cummerbund and bowtie were the same color as his emerald eyes.

He stuck out his hand and said, "Nice to finally meet you Aidan. You can call me Uncle Ben."

When they clasped hands, jets of electricity danced along their skin. Aidan was instantly sucked into a powerful vacuum. The entire experience happened in the blink of an eye, shocking him out of his wits.

In a few moments, he found his bearings and studied his surroundings. They were standing in an empty hallway next to a door made of reinforced steel.

Ben was leaning against a white wall and had a cheeky smile on his face.

"Are you ready kid?"

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